Reluctant Concubine
“Batumar asked in a rough whisper, his breath fanning my scalp.I thought of the blood on Onra’s thighs. Then I thought of the pain of the warrior’s grip upon my flesh as he had pressed me into the frozen ground on that creek bank at the House of Tahar. I nodded, unable to speak the words, hating to be such a coward.Batumar’s grip on my waist tightened for a moment, then relaxed. He remained silent for a long time. His chest rose with each breath, pressing against my back.“Fear not, then,” he said, “For you will not come to harm at my hands.” And after an eternity, I heard his breathing even. The High Lord of the Kadar slept. I sagged against him, my muscles going lax. I could feel his heartbeat through the fabric of my dress as his body heated mine. Even as summer warmed the air outside, the stone walls of the castle held the chill inside. But I did not feel any of that cold now. In all of the great castle, Batumar’s bed had to be the warmest place. Soon the anxiety seeped out of my bo...nes, and I fell asleep in his arms.A servant woke us sometime later, announcing from outside the door that the feast waited.MoreLess
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